Sexy Spring Pasta- with roasted asparagus

It's snowing in Santa Fe. There's a foot of the white stuff. Ridiculous. Our morning appointment with our real estate broker was canceled. Oh, did I mention? We're putting our house on the market. Los Angeles beckons.

Aside from Steve's screenwriting momentum, these ole bones of mine (not to mention, my spare parts) are too creaky for winters with snow. Two years ago, when we planned our big move west, I was naive enough to imagine kinder temperatures. A January with no snow shovels. February afternoons sunny and warm enough to peel off your apple-green cardigan, roll up your sleeves, and drink in vitamin D old school style. Maybe south, in Las Cruces. But not here north of Santa Fe.

And so I find myself once again turning toward the new, welcoming change. Packing away family photos and books to simplify rooms and coax potential buyers into imagining their own conversations and meals and lovemaking in this space.

This space in the desert that has been my shelter- and my tabla rasa. Where I have shed old skins and birthed a new sense of self- in startling and unexpected ways.

Interesting, isn't it? Living here has been so different than I imagined. Difficult, even. And yet. So good for me. It's been all about the process of change.

And lucky for me- I think change is sexy.




Sexy Spring Pasta (Roasted Asparagus-Tomato-Caper Sauce)

Toss together this simple sauce in a roasting pan and crank the heat. Boil the pasta. Sip your wine and kiss your Sweetheart. When the pasta is ready, your sauce is done. This recipe is for two. Pasta tossed with love.

1/2 1-lb. package of brown rice linguini or spaghetti [we like Tinkyada Pasta Joy]
A fistful of thin, baby spring asparagus, trimmed short
4-6 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped [use grape tomatoes if they are more ripe and available]
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, diced fine
4 good sized cloves of garlic, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons raisins (just do it)
1/4 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil- if you can find fresh- do it!
A good pinch of hot red pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put some sultry music on.

Bring a large pot of fresh salted water to a rolling boil.

Meanwhile, throw all the sauce ingredients into a 10x13-inch [medium] roasting pan and stir to coat. Place the pan in the oven, near the top.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, stirring every so often, until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, keep an eye on the sauce and stir it now and then. Do not overcook the asparagus - they are best tender-crisp.

Your kitchen should start to smell absolutely heavenly.

Drain the pasta and set aside.

Pull the roasting pan out of the oven.

Add the cooked pasta into the pan and toss gently to coat the strands with olive oil.

Serve in warmed shallow bowls.

Serves 2.

asparagusgluten freedairy free recipe